The Hippy Hut: Trail Meal Reviews

The two meals reviewed here might not be for everyone. But let me spin a little yarn….what they reminded me of was the the co-op back when I was in college. The deli was “interesting”. It was run by old hippies who had managed to never sell out to The Man. When eating a certain way tasted exactly the same, no matter what co-op you had wandered into. I dubbed this The Hippy Hut™. I ate a lot of meals like this when I was young. Often in Shakedown Street at Grateful Dead concerts (yes, I am just that old enough to admit that I saw a lot of them before ol’ Jerry went to the big sky…..) Every meal had that distinct blend of “exotic” spices for the early 1990’s.

But I digress. Lets come back to the year 2020. And open up a few meals from Food For The Sole, out of their Taster Pack, which includes 7 meals to try.

These two meals have something in common: The flavor profile. For me, I enjoyed the meals. But I am used to eating The Hippy Hut™ flavors. What I am saying is that if your taste buds run towards steak, potatoes and Heinz 57, this might be your best choice. But you never know, you might suddenly wake up and feel the need to explore the taste profile of Turmeric…..

If you like a warm bowl of rice and beans, this is a satisfying meal. Personally I recommend crunchy corn chips to dip it up with, and a healthy dose of hot sauce. It would also work as a burrito filling, if you watch how much water you add to the meal (this is a “cover food with water”, not an exact amount of water).

Quinoa is a hard sell for many. Texture and visual look can turn people off. Quinoa does offer protein, which rice doesn’t, while being gluten-free. The sweet potatoes are tasty, the kale is well cooked. If you are open to new ways of eating, it can grow on you.

A drizzle of hot sauce or sweet chili sauce goes far, to boost the flavor of the dish. It is a filling dish.

The meals are as I put it….interesting. They are not run of the mill backpacking meals full of cheap pasta and odd red sauces. It is real food, with minimally processed ingredients.